Backstage Romantics
by Taralna
Summary: AU: Ciel, 19 years old and freshly graduated, is an aspiring actor. He lands the starring role for the upcoming TV series "Black Butler". But working with a somewhat well-known Sebastian proves to be quite the daunting task. With his refusal to submit to Sebastian's whims, he has ensared himself within the older male's interest. SebxCiel AloisxClaude; Fluff, lemon. M for a reason.
1. Act I

Hey guise! So, Ritsy is back from the *unexpected* hiatus, and she brings with her a new fanfic! Oh man, I've been so busy with work, it's crazy. But yeah I was feeling super inspired lately and this idea just came to me. I really hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it! I'm so tired right now but I really wanted to finish this chapter and get it uploaded. Please be kind to me and read it! Reviews are welcome, as is constructive criticism. I love all of you, old readers and new! Enjoy~

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Disclaimer: I do not own kuroshitsuji or any of it's characters. All are credited to Yana Toboso-sensei. The only thing I own is this story.

**Warnings:** Vulgar language.

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**Backstage Romantics**

**Act I  
**

The small study was dimly lit by a bright computer screen; silence was thick, save for the clicking of keys and heavy sighs that left the lips of the sole occupant. Empty boxes were broken down, tossed haphazardly into a pile next to precariously stacked boxes, still to be unpacked, sitting in a corner. Several shelves were filled with books, titles and genres of all sorts, in no particular order; the weight of the books seemed to be almost too much for the shelves, for they sagged in the center, threatening to collapse at any moment. The study was sparsely decorated, few picture frames resting on a desk pushed up against the back wall where the monitor sat, a soft thrumming noise coming from within it. A coffee mug with kittens painted on the side of it perched innocently near the edge of the desk, threatening to fall at the slightest hint of movement. A leather computer chair rested in front of it, and were you to stand behind the chair, it would appear empty. This was not so; perched low in the seat was a young male, his legs crossed upon the seat cushion in front of him. One dainty porcelain hand lifted up and reached for the coffee mug, fingers trailing over the images before wrapping around the handle. The male lifted the cup to his lips, sipping the lukewarm coffee in distaste. Another heavy sigh left him as he leaned his head back, eyes complaining from staring at such a bright screen while surrounded in darkness for so long. Blae hair shifted as his head moved, silky tendrils sliding out of his heart-shaped face as royal blue eyes fluttered closed to give them a much needed rest. His lush, full lips were parted slightly, though he breathed silently through his nose. His slender frame barely sank into the plush cushions of his seat, and the dim light from the monitor screen washed out his already porcelain pale skin. The male almost looked as if he were a ghost, worn out and weary.

"I hate this," he groaned, clutching onto the mug with one hand and pinching the bridge of his nose with the thumb and forefinger of his other. One leg slinked down, his toes barely able to graze the ground as he spun his body away from the monitor, it's soft humming becoming the constant buzzing of angry bees in his ears: intirely unwelcome and extremely unpleasant. Another whine left his throat, his shoulders sagging in defeat as his cellphone chimed. Knowing who it would be and dreading what they had to say, he lifted the phone slowly, as if it weighed a thousand pounds. He pushed the talk button, lifting the phone to his ear as he licked his lips. "Hello mother."

"Have you applied to any colleges yet?" The woman's tone of voice was stern, as if she already knew the answer. The young male blanched, wrinkling his nose in distaste.

"'Hello, son, it's so great to hear from you. I miss you already, how have you been?' Oh, quite well mother, thank you for caring." He mimicked his mother's voice perfectly. "That's what you're _supposed_ to say."

"Ciel, do not sass your mother," a male's voice scolded, and Ciel sighed heavily. _She has me on speakerphone, the witch,_ he thought with mild unhappiness. It should have come as no surprise to the young man; his mother _always_ had to have the back up of her husband.

"Hello, father."

"Skip the pleasantries and answer my question, Ciel," his mother said severely.

With a roll of his eyes, he stared at the cieling as he answered her question in a monotone voice. "No mother, I have not yet applied to any colleges. I'm still browsing through the immeasurable amount that you and daddy dearest have selected for me." He pursed his lips and blew his bangs out of his eyes. "I do have options other than college..."

This remark brought harsh laughter from his parents. "What, getting hired as the starring role in some production that will shoot you into instantaneous fame? You aren't five anymore, Ciel. It's time to let those childish wishes die."

"It could happen, you know," Ciel practically spat through clenched teeth. "You both know of my exceptional acting skills-"

"Yes, the infamous 'skills' that you're always going on about. Where have they gotten you in your month out of high school? _Nowhere," _his father rudely mocked him.

"Just give me a month, _please. _Just one more month to find a job, any job," Ciel begged, clutching tighter to his coffee mug's handle until his knuckles turned white.

Snickering, his mother conceded. "Fine, one month, Ciel. But that is it. If you do not land any roles for plays, or other such nonsense, you will be applying to colleges. So help me, if you do not, your father and I will disown your ass and block your access to your trust fund faster than you can say "will suck dick for food". And before you go whining about your trust find, let me remind you just _**who **_that money _truly _belongs to: your father and I."

Pressing his lips into a thin line in an attempt to control the rising anger, he huffed out "...you guys are dicks. You suck the joy right out of everyone around you."

"What was that, son? You want to lower your time limit to one week?" His father asked snidely.

"_**Fine! **_Fine, you win. I swear that I'll do exactly as you say if I fail. Are you fucking happy?" Ciel grit his teeth and narrowed his eyes; his parents were lucky that they were nowhere in the vicinity of his person, or else he might start hurling objects at them. _Or maybe throttling them... That sounds much more pleasant..._

"I'm glad you see things our way, son. It would bring shame on our family name if our child were to become a talentless bum, barely scraping by." His father sounded pleased with himself, and his wife interjected in a falsey cheery voice.

"This was the best option, really," she chirped, before her voice became hard as stone. "So get your shit together."

Without bothering so much as to acknowledge their _loving_ words, Ciel hung up his phone, hand falling limply to his side. His left leg curled snugly under his right thigh as his foot dangled a few inches above the floor. He brought the mug up to his lips and slammed back the now cold coffee as though he were taking a shot. _If only_, he thought with bitter amusement. With a sigh, he turned his chair back around to face his computer screen, starting to once again peruse colleges and the courses they had to offer. reaching into his sweater pocket, he pulled out a pack of cigarettes, shaking one out and placing it between waiting lips. The flick of a lighter was soon to follow and he took a deep drag as his eyes settled on a subpar maths course.

"This one is bullshit. And, oh look! This one is _also _bullshit. I never knew that colleges could get away with packing so much bullshit into their sites. When would I even use... 'Street-fighting Mathematics?' What the actual fuck is that even?" He frowned at the screen before pulling up another college website. "Those evil bastards I call parents are _really_ pushing for this one... Why-" he paused in his speech, eyes catching on the several medical courses and majors listed. "Ah, they want me to be a doctor." A snigger escaped his lips, and soon full blown laughter was rolling out from deep within and echoing off the walls. "_Me? _A DOCTOR. HA! Me, a motherfucking doctor, really? _Really guys? _Holy fuck." His sides began to hurt from the force of his laughter and he clutched onto himself, gasping for air. His cigarette, long forgotten, was now just a line of unlit ash, and the trembling of his hands caused it to slip through his fingers. All attempts at trying to calm his laughter down were smothered each and every time he looked up at the screen. "You've got... to be... _kidding_ me..." he choked out between fits of laughter.

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The streets were busy, which came as a surprise to the thin blond male darting through traffic, his lithe body dodging all obstacles. Thigh high boots barely made a sound as his featherlight steps led him across an intersection. "It's so _early. _What the fuck is wrong with all these people? I mean, really, _traffic_, at 9 in the fucking morning?" He shook his head, blond locks cascading around his face. He winced as the noise of honking horns beat against the cool morning air. Irritation seeped into him and he sucked in a deep breath. "Oh yes, hurry on to your destinations, others better get the fuck out of your way because you don't want to be late for the JOBS YOU HATE!" He yelled into the air, a few passersby stopping to give him strange looks. He simply raised his hand and flipped the world off, uncaring of how many people he was offending.

"Don't look at him, Mary. He's a bad seed. Don't associate with the likes of him." A mother whispered frantically to her child.

The male's azure orbs lazily scanned the woman, spotting that she wore no wedding band and that her clothes were what one could consider sexy, fitting her form to a T. A cruel smirk twisted his lips as dark amusement flashed in his eyes. "Oh yes, and bringing home countless men that you fuck while your daughter _may or may not_ be sleeping must be setting such a _wonderful_ example."

The woman's face flushed and she hissed "asshole" at him before rushing her daughter away. He could hear the innocent girl asking what fuck meant, and it made a laugh burst from his lips.

"Ah, my gods, that was perfect. My day equals fucking _made_. Might as well take my happy ass back to bed-Oh, except I can't." The blonde frowned, his pouty lips curling down attractively before the sweetest smile overtook them. "I'm going to see Ciel~." And with that, all his anger washed away and wasreplaced with a mischievous joy.

After recalling his plans, the bipolar blonde began merrily bounding to his target's new apartment. Dodging several cars and even more people-most of which shouted curses at him for almost bumping into them-he finally made it to the complex. "Such lovely buildings, really. Lucky bastard and his trust fund." The male headed over to the correct building, sprinting up three flights of stairs until he skidded to a stop on the correct floor. His eyes scanned over the numbers on the doors as he slowly made his way down the hall, stopping in front of a red one labeled '317A'. He scoffed, the numbers on the gaudy door reminding him of trashy motels.

He reached out his hand, slim fingers playfully brushing over the doorhandle as he gave it a testing twist. "Ah, unlocked! Ooh, Ciel, you trusting slut."

Silently, he pushed the door ajar and stepped inside, careful to be as silent as was possible for the blonde. Shutting the door with a soft _click_, he spun around in shock at the sudden sound of peeling laughter. His hands clutched at his heart and his eyes widened, darting around as if expecting a maniac to jump out at him. After calming down and realising that the laughter, while somewhat _unstable, _sounded like Ciel's, he shook his head. He made his way to the study door, which had been left cracked open. Peeking inside the room, he noticed the blae-haired male doubled over in his seat. He took a moment to muse about how the computer chair seemed to loom over the tiny male, dwarfing his small frame. The blonde pushed the door completely open, placing his left hand on his hip and cocking them slightly. A small scowl formed on his lips as he raised a brow, hating that he obviously missed the joke.

"What's so fucking funny?" He leaned against the doorframe casually, eyes travelling over the barely unpacked room, from the stacks of boxes to the books jammed onto small shelves.

Ciel looks up, breathing harshly and trying to calm his laughter. Hardly surprised to find his best friend standing in his doorway (he was bound to show up some time anyway), he holds in his mirth as best he can as he informs the other with a shaking voice, "They want me... to be a doctor, Alois. My _parents... DOCTOR... Me... doctor... parents..."_ he mumbles incoherently before once again getting swept away in his twisted amusement.

Alois freezes, aqua eyes staring stupidly at his friend's face. "Wait, what?" He blinks, processing the words over again. A tiny giggle leaves his lips. "Are they absolutely _mental?_ You, a doctor. _You?_" His tiny giggles become shrieks of laughter at the absurdity of it all.

"That's... what I said..." Ciel forced out before whimpering giggles overtook him. "Fuck... F-FUCK, my sides. I'm dying." He fell onto the floor from his chair and began rolling around, the sharp pains in his sides building. Alois laughed even harder at the display and the thought of Ciel laughing himself into spasms of pain. "S-stop l-l-laughing, ass-hole. You're making me, agh..." The younger male was becoming red in the face from his strained breathing and building giggles.

"S-sorry, you just... look so fucking stupid..." Alois clutched at his waist, trying to contain his laughter as his own sides began to ache dully. "Ow," he chirped with a small giggle.

Finally, after what seemed like ages, the cacophony died down, leaving the two friends breathless and gasping for air. As normal breathing patterns were regained, Ciel sat up from his sitting position, frown marring the delicate beauty of his features. "I don't want to be a doctor."

Alois sprawled out next to his friend, propping his chin up on his fist. "Oh, I know baby. You don't have to be. You're gonna be a star, right?"

An unattractive snort coming from the younger male made Alois flinch. "Yes, and cows can actually speak our language. Oh, and penguins can fly!"

Alois scowled and punched Ciel in the leg. "Fuck your sarcasm. Why are you so bitter?"

Sighing, the blae-haired male shook his head. "I have one month, Alois. One fucking month to get a spot, _any_ spot, in a production. If I don't... well, it's either off to college to be a doctor-"

"Will you let me be your naughty nurse?" Alois piped up, shooting his friend a devious grin.

"Fuck you, no. And close your cocksucker, don't interrupt me." Ciel pinched the blonde's cheek roughly.

"Ow, okay. Pleathe continue, printheth," he lisped until his cheek was released. He rubbed the sore spot with a scowl and a huff, but stayed silent and looked at his friend expectantly.

Ciel refused to dignify being called princess with a comment, merely flipping Alois off before continuing his venting. "Anyway, where was I? Oh, yeah. Or they're going to disown me and cut off my trust fund, faster than I can say, and I quote "Will suck dick for food." I mean, as if. I suck dick for free, I'm not a prostitute."

Alois barked out a laugh. "Dude, you are so gay. Seriously. But that's so fucked up." He rolled onto his back and looked up at the white cieling. "Your parents have got to be part Dementor or something. Did you tell them to choke on a bag of assholes?"

"Fuck you, you know I didn't. I had to agree to their terms," Ciel rolled his eyes and huffed. "Harry Potter called; he wants his soulless, joy-suckers back."

"Psh, you would fuck me," Alois declared flippantly, poking his friend in the nose.

"You wish I would, but my dick is going nowhere near that gaping hole. Wouldn't want to get sucked that blackhole."

"Oh, so mean. Why am I your friend again?" Alois feigned hurt, draping an arm over his forehead and twisting his features into an agonized expression.

"Because you're a masochist, duh. Now quit bitching and tell me about what you've been up to."

Alois let the masochist comment slide, and latched onto his chance to get the wheel rolling. "Well, if you would stop being such a hermit, you would know. I swear, as soon as you graduated you disappeared right off the face of the earth. Like, do you know how fucking hard it was to find your stupid ass? It was so much easier to just get you from school and make you do stupid shit with me," the blonde whined, sitting up and practically draping himself over Ciel.

"Fuck off, you expect me to pity you? Who was the one who only showed up when he wanted to but could never be found otherwise? After _you_ graduated, you went off to start doing whatever the fuck it is you've been doing. _Which I don't even know because you still haven't told me."_

Alois stuck out his tongue. "_Anyway_, that's not why I'm here. So don't get all butthurt and stop trying to argue with me." He cleared his throat and continued as if nothing had happened. "I went to this audition the other day, and most parts were filled up, except for two. And I wanted the lead, but for some reason those dicks couldn't see my genius. But I did score the other role."

"Oh, you _poor baby_. You didn't get the role you wanted but you _still got a role?_" Ciel rubbed his thumb and forefinger together. "The world's smallest violin is weeping for you."

"Fuck you," Alois slapped Ciel's hand, a devious smirk playing over his lips. "Will you let me finish?" Ciel merely nodded, stifling his laughter. "Okay, so I happened to realise while reading through the script that you would be perfect for the starring role. I'm so serious Ciel, with your skills... And it's still not filled! They can't seem to find the right person for the role." Alois stopped and sucked in a breath, staring at Ciel's blank expression with exhasperation. "Don't you see? This could be your big break! And it's within your deadline, so you can say "fuck you, fancy pants doctor school and Dementor parents" and be in a major production."

"I don't know, Alois... What is it, exactly?" Ciel chewed on his bottom lip, tilting his head to the side slightly.

"It's going to be a tv series of some insanely popular manga. You have to audtion, seriously. Don't pass up this chance because you're too big a pussy to even _try._"

"I'm not a pussy," he stated, his mind already mocing a mile a minute, mulling over his options. He released the hold his teeth had on his lower lip, the flesh now red from the abuse. "Well, it's not like I can expect anything this good to fall in my lap again... I suppose trying out wouldn't hurt."

"YES! You won't regret this!" Alois squealed and latched onto his friend, gripping him in a tight embrace, before releasing him and digging a worn slip of paper out of his pocket. "The address and times for the next set of auditions is on this. I know you can do this, your acting skills are amazing! I mean, you did best me and get all the leading roles in every play we did together in school. So why would that change now?"

Ciel smiled sheepishly and clutched the paper in his hands, shaking his head. "Thanks, I guess."

"Just don't be late, babycakes. Or I'll kick your ass," Alois threatened lightly.

"HAH! As if. Your pansy ass couldn't even hurt a fly."

"Eww, like I would touch one of those disease ridden pests." Alois scrunched up his face in distaste before hopping to his feet. "I have to go, this is really the only thing I came here for. I have shit to do. Ciao, Ciel baby." And with that, Alois strutted from the room and exited the apartment, smile on his face. "That was easier than I thought..." Out came his phone and he quickly typed in a number before bring it up to his ear. "Hello, Mr. Director? Yeah, I found the perfect person be your lead. He'll definitely be at the next audition." He paused, listening to the other speak. "You'll know him when you see him. Oh, and speaking of auditions, I have the best idea ever..." a devious smirk twisted his lips, plans forming in his brain. Ciel worked stupendously under pressure. If he could just get the head honcho to agree to try it his way...

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Ciel unfolded the paper and stared down at it, memorizing the address and date. He would need a resume and would have to perform a scene of his choice in front of the director, assistant director, and various producers. It didn't seem very high pressure, which calmed his nerves. "I guess it's time to study up on Black Butler..."


	2. Act II

Hello, darling readers. You can than _Sebasuchanskitten_ for this update. The reviews I have received from this author inspired me to finish this chapter and get it up tonight. You can show them all your love by reading some of the amazing stories they've written. But first, I hopw you enjoy the second installment of BsR. I hope you enjoy Ciel's audition. Constructive criticism is always welcome! Enjoy, darlings~

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**Warnings:** Vulgar language.

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**Backstage Romantics**

**Act II**

The bedroom in Ciel's apartment was quite small; there was barely any room for his full sized bed and oak dresser. The walls were freshly painted a soft navy, wispy clouds sporadically decorating them. The ceiling was covered in silvery stars, both painted and glow-in-the-dark plastic pieces stuck on at random. A few stars had been placed higher up on the walls, the room mimicking a barely cloudy night sky. Ciel had always loved the night, found solace and comfort in the peaceful twinkling of stars and the beauty of a cresent moon; it always had a calming effect on him. However, now, it seemed, that nothing would calm the storm brewing within the dainty male.

While the room had normally been kept fairly neat in his month of living there, it currently looked as though a tornado had hit. Clothes were strewn about without a care, crumpled up in random spots on the floor. The full size bed had a heaping mountain of clothing, which grew as more and more articles were rejected by the owner. The dresser drawers were pulled askew, underwear, socks, and pants hanging limply from them. On top of the dresser laid a pair of red pajama bottoms, faded and holey from the wear and tear of overuse. Yellow stars decorated them, with the phrase 'who's your daddy?' scrawled on them, the letters a bold red. As more articles of clothing flew threw the air and landed farther and farther from the bed the more frantic the tossing of them was, a pitiful whine pierced the air.

"Nn fuck!" A shout echoed around the small bedroom. "Fuck, fuck, FUCK!" Ciel moaned, balling up another shirt and tossing it away. "What do I even wear to this audition?!" Panicked royal blue eyes glanced at a digital clock sitting on a bedside table, spurring the male into a more frenzied state. His nerves were on edge, and he turned away from the clock, chewing harshly on his bottom lip, which was already red from abuse. He only had two more hours and counting until the auditions took place, and he still had no idea what to wear. "What is considered appropriate? Fuck, I never had to worry like this with school plays." Another whine of frustration rose in his throat as he dug through a box labelled "clothing" in flowing handwriting. His hands grazed the soft fabric of a pair of slacks, and he paused. "Nothing too formal; a tux wouldn't do. But too casual and they'd think I don't take this seriously... Hff." He sighed, willing himself to relax. He lifted the slacks from the box, resting them on his crossed legs. He pulled the boxes lip, tilting it down so his eyes could better scan it's contents. Digging through the folded pile and further mussing it up, he finally found what he was looking for: a dark blue button up cotton dress shirt. Scrambling to his feet, he sprinted over to another box, taking his finds with him. Opening the newly acquired box, labeled "vests", he began searching for the only dressy vest he owned. Passing several of his "faggy nerd" vests, as Alois so _adoringly_ called them, his fingers finally found what he sought. He removed it from the box and blew out a sigh of relief.

Quickly stripping out of his sweatpants and wifebeater, he tugged the slacks up his slim, porcelain legs and buttoned them swiftly. Next came the shirt, which he inspected for creases; deeming the fabric crease-free, he slipped the long sleeves over his arms and adjusted the shirt before fumbling with the buttons. A tiny growl from low in his chest rose to his throat, his frustration with buttons increasing tenfold because of his nervousness.

"I _fucking hate _buttons. If I never have to see another goddamned button in my life, I would not be disappointed," he grumbled to himself, finally slipping the last button into it's corresponding hole. The shirt was short, and if he lifted his arms, it would ride up and give a glimpse of his creamy flesh. On came the black vest, even shorter than the dress shirt, and he pushed the three silver buttons through their holes before running his hands down his front to smooth out his clothing. It clung to his body, showing off his slender waist and barely leaving anything to one's imagination. "Now, to find a belt..." he turned, taking one step before yelping, his foot coming up off of whatever he stepped on. He clutched his wounded appendage and glared down at the ground. "Damn, blast, and-Ah, a belt!" his anger melting into pleasant surprise as he spotted the offending object, his search over before it had begun. He yanked the belt up and pulled it through the loops in his slacks, pausing and chewing his bottom lip in indecision. He looked at his reflection in the full-length mirror that hanged on the back of his bedroom door, eyebrows wrinkling in thought. He quickly attempted to tuck in his shirt, grimacing as he realised it was too short to be properly tucked. "Untucked it is," he said to his reflection and clasped the belt. Reaching into one of the yanked out drawers, he grabbed a pair of navy socks and made his way over to his closet, avoiding stepping on any of the piles to make sure he didn't injure his foot further. _There might be legos or something hiding under all these clothes..._ Once in front of the closet, he opened the faux-wood door and glanced down, spotting his only nice dress shoes easily. Picking those up, he shut the door and practically pranced out of the room, narrowly avoiding the drawers of his dresser.

With the task of dressing himself over and done with, his anxiety began to loosen it's hold on his chest. Ciel plopped down on the couch and pulled his socks on before slipping dainty feet into the black leather shoes. He silently thanked whatever gods there were for his parents choosing shoes that required no lacing; it was one less thing he had to fuck up in his frantic rushing. At the time they were purchased, he had complained about them being slip ons. "_I'm not a child, I know how to tie fucking shoes."_ He was grateful that they had ignored his complaining and bought them regardless of his demands. Standing up, he shoved his phone into his back pocket, along with his wallet. He stood on tiptoe to remove his peacoat from the coat rack and slid it on. Buttoning all but two buttons and cinching the tie around his waist, he snagged his keys and left his apartment, running through a mental checklist.

_I'm wearing underwear, I haven't forgotten to put on pants; I've got my phone and wallet tucked safely away in my ass pocket; I'm freshly showered and my teeth have been brushed. I have my keys in hand, and I'm looking dashing and-dare I say-sexy as fuck. They have already received my resume, so I don't have to bring it with me. I've selected and memorised the scene that I want to perform in the audition._ Once satisfied with all of his requirements being checked off, he locked his door and began walking down the stairs, slipping a cigarette between his lips. "Now I just have to find the blasted place."

* * *

There was only one word to describe how Ciel felt while sitting in the waiting room of the fancy building: nervous. His anxiety was only made worse when he saw the 10 or so other males auditioning for the same part; they were all exceptionally handsome, most likely with more experience than he could fathom. All of them were taller than he, as he only stood at a whopping 4 foot 11 inches. He had always cursed his height, as it led to being called _cute_ and _childlike_, much to his distate. For once, however, he was actually thankful for his short stature; the part he was auditioning for was a 13 year old Earl, and frankly, 13 year olds aren't extremely tall. _Yeah well, they generally don't have the height of a 9 year old either, _his anxious brain added snarkily. Shaking those negative thoughts away, he silently told his brain in which direction it could fuck.

His blue eyes darted around and oggled the faces of his opponents. _Fuck, look at him... He's so hot, I would totally fuck him. I wonder if he's gay,_ he thought idly, before scolding himself. The men here weren't to be flirted with or seduced; they were the enemy, the only things standing in the way of his chance at stardom.

Cold sweat beaded on Ciel's forehead, nerves coiling in his stomach uncomfortably. He chewed his bottom lip and slipped his peacoat off before rolling up the sleeves of his dress shirt to his elbows. He sighed and shifted his weight before leaning back, continuing to worry his lip between his teeth. 10 pairs of eyes turned to him, interest sparking in them; Ciel was no longer paying attention to the others, his eyes lidded and staring blankly up at the ceiling as he tried to distract himself from his impending doom by mentally running over his lines again. 10 pairs of eyes raked his body almost ravenously, taking in the young male's appearance; his heart-shaped faced, framed by wispy blae locks that fell across his forehead in a swooping fringe. They took in the way long coal lashes brushed against high cheekbones each time he blinked, the impossible royal blue of his irises, and they followed the movement of his tongue as it darted out to wet his full, pink lips, before teeth sank into the bottom protrusion, worrrying it red. The bobbing of his adam's apple as he swallowed mesmerised the other males, and, unaware of the stares he was getting, Ciel stretched, his arms above his head as his back arched sharply. His shirt rode up slightly, his hip peeking out slightly, and all eyes fell to that tantalizing bit of creamy flesh. The other males were practically drooling; gay or straight, all preferences were forgotten in the presence of the blae-haired male. He was sex on legs, _fuck me_ practically oozing from his every pore. And oh, did those ten men want so badly to do just that. Those 10 pairs of eyes began mentally undressing him, picturing in a heated frenzy all the pleasurable things that they could possibly do to the shorter male.

Their thoughts were cut short, wilting at the opening of the double doors and the powerful entrance of three people. Two were male and one was female; all were dressed in finely tailored suits, their confident postures demanding undivided attention. And receive attention they did: all eyes were focused solely on them, thoughts of the tempting male vanishing like smoke. Ciel sat up, hands dropping to rest in his lap as he nervously eyed those who had just entered. He began worrying his lip between his teeth with renewed fervor, shifting his weight under the heavy gazes of what must have been the director. With held breath, they awaited to be addressed by the older male, the younger yet stoic male, and their female counterpart.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen, and welcome to the 10th," _and hopefully last,_ he added mentally,_ "_set of auditions for the production of Black Butler. I am Henry Warner, the director, and these are my associates, Mr. Rorke and Mrs. Leffew. They are the assistant director and producer, respectively.

"I am sure that what you expect of this audition is for each of you, one at a time, to be summoned to the auditorium and to display your skills for us. That will not be the case, however. You will be performing in the auditorium, but you will be doing it in front of each of your peers here, my associates and I, as well as the members of the production that have already been cast in their roles."

A wave of shock hit Ciel, and his nerves seemed to hit maximum; Alois had not informed him of such a stressful audition. He already felt naked, stripped bare for all eyes to judge harshly his performance skills. Murmurs of discontent filled the room as the other males auditioning exchanged wary looks.

"If you do not like our way of doing things, then you know where the door is," Mrs. Leffew deadpanned, her dark eyes piercing through each male like knives. A shudder ran down Ciel's spine when her eyes landed on him, a flicker of recognition lighting them before she smothered it. It confused him that she seemed to recognize him even though he had never met her before. The urge to flee and never look back coursed through his veins, but he kept himself firmly planted. The other males exchanged looks, but stayed seated; none of them were giving up this chance.

The Director followed Leffew's gaze, his eyes widening slightly as he took in the dainty male's appearance. _So this is the one that Alois was singing the praises of. Yes, yes, he _looks _the part. Now to see if his skills are as wondrous as the blond brat claims them to be._

"Now, please follow us into the auditorium," Rorke said, his tone of voice demanding as he spun on his heel, Leffew and Warner following his lead. Eleven males rose to their feet, nervously shuffling after them. Ciel's knees wobbled slightly, and he feared that he would pass out. The double doors led to an impressive auditorium, and his eyes glanced around, taking in the details with awe. The stage sat in at the back of the massive room, dead-center. Rows upon rows of elegant seating leading up to the stage, and above them were balconies of seating for VIPS. It was all so beautiful, and yet Ciel could not fully appreciate it because his nerves were currently aflame. His body trembled slightly and his chest tightened with anxiety. _Don't vomit, don't vomit, don't vomit..._ he chanted to himself in his head.

_Oh god, I can't do this. Fucking Alois; if I ever see his gay ass ever again I'm going to murder him dead. _The 11 males were led onto the stage and ushered behind a curtain where they gathered around the Director. "Here's how this will work: when your name is called, you will come out onto the stage, give us your best performance of whatever monologue you have selected to perform. Because most of the script is kept on lockdown, you had the option to choose from what few scenes we offered, or from the manga." This statement caused a few of the males to exchange nervous glances and shift anxiously from foot to foot; not one of them had thought to perform a monologe from the manga-save for Ciel. "From the looks of it, most of you did not consider the manga to be adequate enough material. Therefore some of you may be performing the same scene as one another. Please do your best to make it as original and captivating as possible.

"In any case, this shall be quite interesting," the Director mused, before continuing on explaining things.

* * *

The cast was being led in by Leffew, selecting their seats of choice. Alois practically bounced in the plush red seat in his excitement. He gripped the arms until his knuckles turned white, and he looked up at Leffew.

"Mrs. Producer, don't forget; let the best go last. He'll blow you away, I promise," the blond gushed, and Leffew rolled her eyes.

"Sit still, Alois. The Director already agreed to this scheme of yours, and it better go the way you say it will." Her voice was severe, and she turned away sharply, stalking to the front row and sitting down. The Director emerged from backstage and joined Leffew and Rorke, leaning back in his seat.

"Theo Anderson," Rorke announced, his voice echoing around the auditorium while his face held a completely bored expression.

"Here we go..." Ciel winced.

* * *

Ciel shifted his weight several times; 9 people had already gone before him, and as he watched their performances, his nerves began to settle. The skills each of them possessed were subpar, at best, and it was slowly building his confidence. The 10th person was called out; it was the one he thought handsome not that long ago. Now he looked white as a sheet, and a little nauseous. He stuttered through his lines, eyes flickering to all the faces in barely suppressed terror. The man froze as he skipped over a line, shame taking over his features. He quickly finished and stumbled off in the other direction, completely dejected.

It was finally Ciel's turn; he took a deep breath, and when his name was called, he confidently strutted onto the stage, stopping dead center and turning to the "audience". A raven-haired male that had been sitting by himself a little farther back had been bored through each and every person that had attempted to audition. He slouched in his seat, arms crossed lazily over his chest. A feeling that this audition would also be a bust itched at his skin, and he sighed, gazing up at the stage as the last (thankfully) male took to the stage. Immediately, carmine eyes lit up with interest. The man leaned forward, his eyes hungrily taking in every 4'11" of the blae-haired male. To call him gorgeous would be an understatement: he was the most beautiful creature to ever grace the earth. His coal lashes dusted faintly over high cheekbones as he closed his eyes for a few seconds. Parted pink lips drew sanguine eyes to them; he noticed the bottom one was reddended with constant abuse. Quirking an eyebrow, he already deduced that it must have been the blae-haired boy's nervous habit.

The dark haired male tilted his head to the side. _Ciel, his name is, I believe..._ he mused to himself. It was just as the main character's. _I have a feeling that his performance will be far from lacking. _He leaned back and placed his right ankle on his left knee as he crossed his arms behind his head. The sanguine-eyed man watched with curiosity, awaiting the performance.

Ciel opened his eyes and glared at each person seated arrogantly; they no longer scared him, and he would be damned if he didn't give them his best performance. With a steadying breath, he raised his hand toward them and began his selected scene.

Quite suddenly, soft chuckles began to rumble in Ciel's chest before it became fullout laughter. With a twinge of madness, it came bursting forth. The cacophony echoed throughout the auditorium and bounced off the walls, holding such cruel amusement that it instantly captured the attention of all. He held his sides as if trying to contain the well of laughter. As his mirth died down, enough for him to speak, he drew a deep, gasping breath. "There was nothing here! The thing they were protecting didn't even exist!" He shouted, barely contained sadistic glee in his voice. The start of his audition was so powerful that everyone sat with bated breath, clutching the arms or the edges of their seats. Even the mysterious raven-haired male wasn't able to tear his eyes away from the spectacular boy; his presence commanded all of the attention, dominated the stage, and left all feeble auditions before his forgotten.

"They didn't know about this. They even became so desperate..." here, he drew a breath, wavering with unabridled amusement, drawing the audience in even more. "...that they died!" And that maddening laughter once again spilled out uncontrollably. His head flew back as his eyes closed, arms digging into his sides. After a few calming breaths, he continued. "Their desperate hope was ridiculously crushed like a worm. Superficial! Cruel! Revolting! Isn't it even more demonic than a demon? Right?!" He giggled, snorted, and roared with cruel humor.

His laughter finally seemed to dry up, no longer pouring forth, as he deadpanned, "And I am the same." His mad grin slowly shrank into a small smirk, as he breathed out, "I'm also... filled with the same ugly contents as them. This is what a human is!" Ciel's face screwed up in utter anguish as he looked straight into the audience, seeing but not seeing.

"I'm a human being!" He cried out, the utter torment staining the delicate beauty of his features piercing into the hearts of his audience. "Sebastian!" In that one name, his voice carried desperation, pain, helplessness, and longing.

Silence followed; for several moments, nothing but quiteness filled the air. Ciel's chest heaved, and he came back to himself. Suddenly, he was nervous. What if his audition was worse than the others? He straightened up, staring doe-eyed at the small gathering of cast and crew. He bit into his bottom lip, body tensing as he waited to be booed off stage.

Carmine eyes were wide as the raven-haired male's heart beat against his ribcage. Never before had a performance left him feeling so exhilarated, nor had one ever held him so enraptured. This dainty male captivated his every thought and left him wanting to expose more sides of the feisty-looking Ciel. A light blush dusted the young male's cheeks as his arms hung loosely at his sides, and his shirt had ridden up slightly, exposing milky flesh. The raven-haired male smirked, his interest in Ciel piquing even more. The younger male simply exuded sex pheromones, he was a breathakingly wondrous actor, and his beauty was unrivaled. Chocolatey eyes locked on those tantalizing hips, and he knew then that he had to have this boy-at all costs. Focusing his gaze on the boy's face, he realised how petrified the silence was leaving him, and so he began clapping, slowly, at first.

The echoing of applause startled Ciel, as well as awakened the others and ignited a standing ovation. The cacophony of clapping and cheering met the blae-haired males ears, and he blinked in confusion.

"Ciel, you magnificent bastard!" Alois called out, squealing in delight as he bounced around gaily. "I knew you could do it!"

"Splendid! Absolutely transcendent, Ciel m'boy!" The director roared out, glee lighting up his features.

Confusion etched itself on Ciel's features as his body warred over his fight-or-flight instinct.

"We have found our Ciel Phantomhive!" The Director pronounced cheerfully, causing the other cast members to howl uproariously.

As those words sunk in, Ciel began to tremble with excitement. He let out a whoop of joy, fingers fumbling for his phone as he hit speed dial.

"Have you applied to a co-" his mother began in lieu of greeting, but Ciel cut her off.

"I got a part in a major production! As the lead!" He practically squealed. "So you can take that doctor college and shove it straight up your arse, you soul-sucking bitch!" With that, he hung up. He could barely make out Alois' barking laughter as the blond choked out how proud he was of Ciel for telling off his Dementor parents.

Ciel hopped off the stage, and he practically pranced over to the Director, shaking his hand with gusto. "Thank you so much, Sir, I won't let you down!"

The Director chortled, patting Ciel on the shoulder. "Please, call me Henry. And congratulations. We will be holding a cast party tomorrow in the ballroom of a hotel. Amelia will give you the address, and it is at 8 o'clock sharp. You will get to meet all of your fellow cast members in a more relaxed setting."

"Amelia?" Ciel asked, head tilting to the side, wondering who the hell that was.

"That would be me," Leffew stated, giving Ciel a soft smile. "You may call me Amy though, if you'd like. And Rorke here, well. He's just Rorke." Taking out a business card and flipping it to the back, she wrote on the it the designated hotel and the time and date. "We'll see you tomorrow, yes?"

Ciel could only nod as he accepted the card, looking down to memorize the hotel name. Excitement still coursed through him, and he happily clutched the card. He would officially meet the cast that he would be working with tomorrow night.

* * *

Sanguine eyes watched the glowing blae-haired male from afar. "The cast party, hm?" He mused out loud to himself in his liquid velvet voice. "This is about to get very interesting... Ciel."

...

**A/N:** I hope this was up to par. Thank you for taking the time to read it, and I always appreciate reviews! The monologue is from the manga, Chapter 36 Pages 22-27, © Yana Toboso.


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